Self-examination is the best way to detect cancer, a risk women increasingly face with age, VOA Khmer listeners heard Thursday.

Women should examine their breasts once a month, guest Dr. Taing Tek Hong said from Jacksonville, Florida, in the semiweekly "Hello VOA" call-in show. Women should keep in mind that their goal is to become familiar with the ordinary shape and feel of their breasts, in order to detect changes that could mean cancer.

Listeners called in to ask what kinds of changes they should look for.

Lumps or thickening in or near the breast or under-arm area and dimpling or redness on the skin of the breast can be causes for concern, Taing Tek Hong said.

Women may also see clear or milky fluid discharge from the nipple, he said. This might be normal, he added, but if discharge occurs without prompting and continues, from only one nipple, women should be checked by a doctor.

Listeners asked when self-examinations were best.

Women should pick a date after menstruation, he said, and choose the same day each month. They should stick with the same date each month even after menopause.

Breast cancer can develop at any age, Taing Tek Hong said, but the risk increases with age. He advised listeners to talk to their doctors about the risk of breast cancer when women undergo hormonal replacement therapy, especially if there is a history of breast cancer in the family.